From Saajan Chale Sasural (1996) and Deewana Mastana (1997) to Bade Miyan Chote Miyan (1998) and Haseena Maan Jaayegi (1999) — director David Dhawan and late actor-filmmaker Satish Kaushik’s association has given us many memorable films and characters. Remember Pappu Pager and Muthu Swami (Kaushik’s characters in Deewana Mastana and Saajan Chale Sasural, respectively)?

So naturally, Kaushik’s sudden death has left Dhawan shocked: “I can’t digest this news. He has a wife (Shashi Kaushik) and a young daughter (Vanshika Kaushik). I am feeling bad for them… he loved them a lot. Hum log har party mein saath hi rehte the — Kher saheb (actor Anupam Kher), main aur Satish.”

He adds, “Satish was a great friend and a superb actor. I worked with him on many projects. Besides comedy, he was also great at whatever role he played.”

Recalling how they would collaborate on different projects, the director shares, “I would just tell him, ‘Picture shuru kar raha hoon, tu kar raha hai?’ Baat khatam. There would be no narration. We would sit together and sab kar lete the. We had a lot of faith in each other’s work. He was an all-rounder. Set pe kamaal ka [mahaul] rehta tha. We would do masti-mazaak and start the shot.”